Horrible, horrible, horrible!!! I could blame it on moving (again), kids, etc...I'm just a slacker! I doubt anyone even remembers I'm alive, or at least my blog. It's not dead, just in a slacker coma. My inattention to my blog was brought to my attention and I promised I'd get right on it, so here I am.
So much has been happening, but I don't think I'll bombard my blog with pictures, maybe just a brief catch-up summary and a few fun photos. So, the last time I blogged was when we went camping over Easter weekend...ouch! Since then, Cali celebrated her 3rd Birthday and we've bought a little house (manufactured home...trailer house, if you will) and moved, again. We're liking it just fine. A little "snug" but we're making due. Marcus has quit his job and is back in school...yay... It's been really tough, but we're doing alright. We're finally feeling settled and having a fun summer!
Without getting into too much detail, that's about the extent of the summer. We've had swim lessons, fun with cousins, fun with grandparents, and fun with friends. But, the funnest part has been just recently. Marcus and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary in July!! And just this past weekend I was able to get away for a Girl's Weekend in Houston for 2 nights! We went and saw the Broadway production of "Wicked", at lots of good food, and did lots of good shopping!! What else could a girl want? I'm getting ready for my "baby" sister to come for a visit this coming weekend while my parents are in Africa. They'll be spending time in Ghana and returning home with my youngest brother from his mission. I can't believe it's already been two years, but he'll be home the day before Peyton's first Birthday!! No, I can't believe she'll be a year old already too!!! Much to blog about coming up too...I'll stay on top of things!
Here are a couple fun pictures of the things we've been up to this summer:
Cali in her swim lessons. She earned a pair of Tinkerbell flip-flops for doing so well!
Austin is a natural-born fish, but he did swim lessons to be able to swim "correctly"...like doing different strokes and breathing and diving. He did really great!
This was the day my nephew Hunter was Baptized! This is Marcus' entire family...his parents in the middle, his brother, Justin, beside him with his wife, Caryn, and their three kids (Hunter at the bottom by Austin, Taylor sitting with Grandma, and Tucker on Grandpa). And, of course, us.
We went out to Sam Rayburn Resevoir the day after 4th of July. Marcus' whole family came and even some extras...uncle, aunt, cousins, their kids...it was a blast! Definitely a post to come!
Whenever we go out and about, this is me and Peyton. She loves chillin on my back and getting to be up high and watching the kids. Not that I carried her for 9 months, or carry her around the house or anything, I guess Marcus did all that and he needed a break. ;) (We must have been out for a walk or something as a family.)
Peyton will get her own post when her birthday rolls around, but just a few things about this crazy little girl (because most of you don't know her from lack of information!!): She loves, loves, loves her Daddy. She could be on the other end of the house when he gets home, but as soon as she hears his voice she bee-lines it in his direction. No joke!
And she's quite the ham, just like the other two. She's shy when she meets someone new, but gets crazy quick. She loves blowing raspberries and sticking out her tongue. She eats lots of different things, but if she doesn't like something, she'll definitely let you know. She's cruising along the furniture and tries to stand on her own, but she can only do it for a couple seconds. She'll get there, hopefully not too soon. She's getting too big WAY too fast!! More to come when she hits the big 1st Birthday next month.
We're having a great summer and it's not over yet. We still have much to do and many events on the calendar, so I'll be better at sharing because it's gonna be a blast!
What do you think?
What do you think?
After we "hosed" that girl down, we had a couple presents for her (her siblings) to open. Each sibling got to "help" with one present, but as you can see from the picture where Peyton is just standing there watching, they simply took over. But she was just fine with her new little baby...she kept hugging and kissing her and even patting her on the back. She's so sweet!
This is how you'll see Peyton 90% of the time...thumb in her mouth and playing with her hair.
This is our little set-up on the beach where we hung out for the day. My in-laws, brother and sister-in-law and my WHITE husband...don't get blinded!
I love this picture! Austin and the boys hanging on the inner-tube and Cali happily playing with the mud.
Cali loved playing with the older girls and they loved playing with her. :)
Cali and one of her cousins, Tucker, chillin' while waiting for their lunch.
I was trying to take a picture of Austin running in the water, but as soon as he saw the camera he stopped and smiled...what a ham!
